Side Story 1-4: New Employee Kim Rok Soo (4)

"Shite, it's so damn big!"

Choi Jung Soo was shocked at the larger than expected monster that his satoori burst out.

"H, how did you come here-"

Choi Soo-In tried to talk to Choi Jung Soo out of shock and delight, but she didn't have time to look at him.

Shhhhhhh—!

The monster revealed its teeth toward Choi Soo-In again. Its attack had less hesitation and was moving faster.

"No!"

Park Kyung Ho was shocked at Choi Jung Soo's appearance but moved toward Choi Soo-In again.

Park Kyung Ho could see someone else climbing through the window at that moment.

'Huh?'

That person then charged toward the spider.

Baaaaang!

"Ugh!"

"M, Mr. Rok Soo!"

Choi Soo-In gasped before looking at the back of the person in front of her. Rok Soo was groaning.

Choi Soo-In could see the large iron board in Rok Soo's hand. It was a bit lacking to be called a shield, but it was enough to temporarily block the monster spider's attack.

"Are you okay?! No, Mr. Rok Soo… How did you come-"

"Miss Choi Soo-In."

"Yes?"

"Are you a healing-type supporter?"

"Ah, yes, yes!"

"Then please support right away."

"Excuse me?"

Choi Soo-In was still unable to think straight and asked instinctively, while Park Kyung Ho was just blankly staring at Kim Rok Soo. However, there was a voice that called out to him.

"Mr. Kyung Ho!"

It was Choi Jung Soo. Park Kyung turned his gaze. He could see Choi Jung Soo, who was charging toward the spider with a sword in his hand.

Choi Jung Soo wasn't moving as hastily as he had done earlier, but rather was looking extremely calm and skilled.

Choi Jung Soo and Kim Rok Soo both looked younger than Park Kyung Ho, but the expressions on their faces made it seem as if they were used to such situations.

Choi Jung Soo shouted toward Park Kyung Ho. He remembered the core component of what Kim Rok Soo had told him outside the window that was being covered by spiders.

"The body!"

Park Kyung Ho then heard Kim Rok Soo's calm voice.

"That monster's name is the 'Red Eye Spider,' and its weakness is the lower part of its body."

"Y, you know about this monster?"

Choi Soo-In asked and Kim Rok Soo calmly responded.

"This monster usually appears in South America. It might actually be the first time this monster has appeared in Korea."

"Excuse me?"

Choi Soo-In wondered how Kim Rok Soo would know about something like that, but his firm gaze made her quickly gather her ability to support Choi Jung Soo and Park Kyung Ho.

She needed to immediately use her ability if someone got seriously injured.

"Mr. Rok Soo, won't it cast a web if it is a spider?"

Kim Rok Soo kept his eye on the monster as he responded to Choi Soo-In's question.

"I don't believe that it is fully grown yet, Miss Soo-In. An adult would be close to 5 meters tall and its rank would be divided between Grade 2 and Grade 3 based on the limits of its abilities."

Choi Soo-In's eyes opened wide after hearing about its rank.

She felt fear.

'No wonder the pressure was no joke! But why are the two of them so calm? Mr. Park Kyung Ho and I are still so scared.'

Choi Soo-In hid her shaking hand.

"Furthermore, this Red Eye Spider can only cast a web once it becomes an adult. It can only control spiders or use its legs to attack until then."

"But why would a South American monster be here-"

"I don't know the reason, but… I presume that the egg must have been here. This monster's egg is said to be small. That must be why the first search squad did not find it. It is probably also the reason they determined that there were no monsters."

Baaaaang! Bang! Baaaaang!

Kim Rok Soo closed his mouth after hearing loud explosions.

He then looked forward.

He could just barely see enough thanks to the light coming in from the broken window.

'He's doing well.'

Kim Rok Soo's eyes clouded over while looking at Choi Jung Soo.

"Ugh!"

Choi Jung Soo must have been struggling against the monster as he was groaning, but he was still dealing with the spider's attacks quite well.

'Mr. Rok Soo. Please look for an opening and give me a sign. Then I will attack at full force. Please take everybody and run at that point.'

The corners of Kim Rok Soo's lips slowly curled up.

"I'm certain now."

"Excuse me?"

Choi Soo-In blankly asked back, but Kim Rok Soo did not hear and just mumbled to himself.

"That spider is a beginner."

It didn't know anything about how to fight, which attacks to launch, nor even what powers it had.

'It's like Park Kyung Ho.'

The current roaming around Park Kyung Ho's short spear…

Kim Rok Soo's calculations were now complete.

"Now!"

Choi Jung Soo heard Kim Rok Soo's shout. He immediately changed the direction of his sword.

Shaaaaaaa-

A white aura started to gather around his body.

It wasn't complete yet, but this power was something that held his, and his family's, everything.

It wasn't even an imugi yet, but the aura that would one day become a white yong slowly appeared.

Choi Jung Soo picked up the sword with the white aura infused in it. He then took a step.

'Attack it.'

Attack that monster.

Hold it back.

'Make time for them to run!'

That was the goal of this battle.

'Huh?'

Choi Jung Soo's eyes opened wide at that moment.

He could see someone charging toward the monster.

Kim Rok Soo.

He was running toward the monster while holding the iron board in his hands. He then smashed it into the monster's face with everything he had.

Choi Jung Soo saw Kim Rok Soo's eyes at that moment. Kim Rok Soo shouted.

"Both of you, attack!"

The direction of the sword changed.

Choi Jung Soo shouted toward Park Kyung Ho.

"Throw your spear!"

Once Park Kyung Ho saw the charging Kim Rok Soo and the white aura-infused sword wielding Choi Jung Soo… The moment the two of their voices and gazes stabbed into his mind… He realized what he had to do.

Crack, crackle-!

As much current as he could gather was forced into the small spear.

The moment Kim Rok Soo smashed the spider's face with the iron board…

Choi Jung Soo parried the spider's legs that were trying to attack Kim Rok Soo and let them flow by as if they were streams of water.

Screeeeeeeeeech-!

It made the monster's two front legs and its body slightly lift up.

Choi Jung Soo's sword started to move again.

The white aura followed the sword and created a long diagonal line.

From the bottom to the top…

The path of the sword that rose up slashed the spider's body.

Slash.

Unlike the sturdy legs that even the currents couldn't damage, the body was weak.

A gap appeared on that body.

"Park Kyung Ho!"

Park Kyung Ho was already running with the short spear in his hand when Kim Rok Soo shouted.

"Ahhhhh!"

He screamed before throwing the short spear.

Crackle, crack!

The current-infused short spear flew toward the spider.

SCREEEEEEEEECH—!

The spider screeched and did whatever it could to move its legs.

Tang!

"N, nooooo!"

The short spear was struck by the spider's leg and changed directions.

Choi Soo-In shouted, almost in a scream. However, her eyes soon opened wide.

Tang-!

Choi Jung Soo's sword was not finished yet.

The sword slightly touched the short spear that was about to change trajectory. The white aura gently wrapped around the short spear and changed its direction.

It was directed back to its original target.

The white aura and the current-infused short spear reached their original target.

Puuk!

The short spear was stabbed into the spot that Choi Jung Soo's sword had slashed.

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaackle—!

"Roooooooooooooooar—!"

The current pulsed through the monster spider's body and the monster screamed.

"W, we got it."

'We took down the monster...!'

That subconscious thought made Park Kyung Ho turn his head to look for Kim Rok Soo.

"We need to quickly run away."

Kim Rok Soo was helping Choi Soo-In up and trying to run.

"Why do we need to run when we took down the monster-"

"How can you be sure that there was only one egg?"

Park Kyung Ho flinched at Kim Rok Soo's retort. He got chills on his back. If there was another, no, if there were a lot more monsters?

His mind was becoming chaotic.

"Mm!"

Choi Jung Soo groaned and pulled out his sword at that moment. Park Kyung Ho was shocked and turned his body in the same direction.

Shhhhhhh-

The spiders were scattering after losing their master, revealing the hallway.

Two people appeared through the opening.

Park Kyung Ho subconsciously started talking in shock.

"T, team leader Lee Soo Hyuk-nim-"

"Aigoo, I guess my team member sees Team leader Lee before he sees his own team leader?"

Park Kyung Ho flinched after noticing Team 2 leader while Team 2 leader checked on the condition of her team members before nodding her head.

"You somehow managed to survive."

She pointed to the door down the hallway behind her back.

"We will take care of the rest, so go back to the auditorium."

Choi Soo-In and Park Kyung Ho slowly and awkwardly started walking in the direction Team 2 leader pointed toward. Their footsteps slowly quickened before they stopped and turned around. The two of their gazes stopped on Kim Rok Soo and Choi Jung Soo.

Kim Rok Soo and Choi Jung Soo started heading toward the door after receiving their gazes.

"He,y Jung Soo."

The two of them turned their heads.

"Rok Soo."

Lee Soo Hyuk put on his unique relaxed smile while looking at the two of them.

"You both grew up so well."

Choi Jung Soo put on a mischievous smirk while Kim Rok Soo scoffed and made a comment.

"We would have caught it faster if you helped us out in the end."

His comment made Team 2 leader flinch while Lee Soo Hyuk walked up to the two of them.

"Once you get there, wait for me."

Pat. Pat.

He patted the two of them on the shoulder before walking past them.

"I'll buy you some food."

He said that single sentence before walking toward the east side of the building where the monster spider had appeared.

He was holding his sword that could slash through anything at any time in one hand.

"Then me too."

Team 2 leader smiled awkwardly and was about to follow behind Lee Soo Hyuk when she stopped and addressed the two of them.

"Sorry. I told him that we should watch for a little longer. But we would have intervened if any of you were in danger. Plus, Team leader Lee is someone who would let himself get hurt before he lets any of his team members get hurt."

"I know that, ma'am."

"Huh?"

"I know he is like that, ma'am."

Kim Rok Soo responded and Choi Jung Soo commented as well.

"I know that very well too!"

Team 2 leader looked at the two of them as if they were odd before following behind Lee Soo Hyuk.

Kim Rok Soo was being supported by Choi Jung Soo as they walked toward where the new employees of Team 2 were waiting for them.

Choi Jung Soo nonchalantly asked a question.

"You know Team leader Lee-nim, Mr. Rok Soo?"

"What about you, Mr. Jung Soo?"

"I guess both of us know him."

Choi Jung Soo supported Kim Rok Soo, who was walking forward despite his shaky legs, and made another comment.

"By the way, Mr. Rok Soo. Don't you think we can speak informally to each other now?"

"Sure."

"Oh! Then I'm going to speak informally now! Hahahaha!"

Choi Soo-In was watching the two of them before poking Park Kyung Ho in the side to ask him a question.

"I heard that only warriors gather in Team 1. Doesn't that seem true?"

"...."

"Not the Elite, but warriors."

"…Haaa."

Park Kyung Ho bowed toward the approaching Choi Jung Soo and Kim Rok Soo instead of responding.

"Thank you very much."

"Yes, thank you very much. We really only survived thanks to the two of you."

It was a sign of gratitude.

"Well, it was nothing."

Choi Jung Soo flailed his hand as if it was nothing while Kim Rok Soo stared at Park Kyung Ho for a moment before walking past him as he made a comment.

"It's fine as long as you survived, Mr. Kyung Ho."

Kim Rok Soo could see that Choi Jung Soo was staring at him. He was about to scowl, wondering why Choi Jung Soo was doing this, when Choi Jung Soo looked away and quietly made a comment.

"That's right. It's fine as long as they survived."

Kim Rok Soo stopped scowling and he silently walked next to Choi Jung Soo while being supported.

"I'm hungry."

Choi Jung Soo commented and Kim Rok Soo responded.

"Tell the team leader to buy you something expensive."

"Should I?"

"Do whatever you want."

"Okay, I will!"

The two of their footsteps were neither heavy nor light as they headed toward the auditorium.

It was simply the same as usual.

Surviving in this destroyed world and surviving these monsters was something they had already been doing for a long time.

* * *

Slash.

Although it was hard to tell whether this had happened naturally or if someone had put them here purposefully, this area was full of numerous insect-type monster eggs. Lee Soo Hyuk was slashing through the things in here.

Team 2 leader, who was burning up everything while standing next to him, commented in her usual tone.

"Team leader Lee-nim, the newbies in Team 1 seem to be quite talented. I think that they will survive a long time."

'Survive a long time.'

These words were the greatest words of blessing and praise of talent in this company.

"I'm not sure."

Lee Soo Hyuk had a bitter smile on his face.

Kim Rok Soo and Choi Jung Soo…

Team 2 leader was probably praising them after seeing their calmness and boldness.

However, Lee Soo Hyuk's viewpoint was different.

Although they were calm during the battle, the fact that they were punks who charged in to save people immediately after seeing the situation had not changed.

"…They need to survive a long time."

He would make it that way.

Lee Soo Hyuk firmed his resolve.

He hoped that it would be that way.

He truly hoped for it.

– Side Story 1. New Employee Kim Rok Soo, End –

– The next side story is, 'Our team leader-nim became trash!' –

Author's Notes

Hello, it is Yu Ryeo Han.

I hope that you have a warm day on the last day of 2021.

I also hope that the incoming 2022 will be full of great things.

Thank you very much. 

—
Translator's Comments

And thus started the friendship

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]